AP Final Exam: 3 Free Response QuestionsYou will have 2 hours to complete 3 essays: Synthesis, Rhetorical

Analysis and Argument.How these will be graded: 1.Your rhetorical analysis essay (the one we have spent the most amount of time on this semester) will be graded numerically and will be worth 50 pts towards your 1st semester grade. Completion points for the 3 essays will also be given.

How to Review: 1. Rhetorical Analysis notes on teacherweb and in journals;

Arch method2. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Review Sheet: Sample essay

review sheet3. Sample essays and prompts in Cliff’s or on

Collegeboard.com2.One essay will be chosen between the argument and the synthesis to count as your diagnostic essay for 2nd semester. It is therefore imperative that you complete all essays in the time frame allowed, to the best of your abilities. For the argument essay, you will need to include at least one CD example from The Scarlet Letter

How to Review: 1. Synthesis and Argument Class Notes2. CW/HW assignments completed in class regarding the

prompts3. Sample essays and prompts in Cliffs or on

Collegeboard.comWhat to Bring on Final Day: Semester 1 vocabulary H/O to

turn in, at least 6 pieces of Blank paper and a pen for your final as well as your eager and positive attitudes!

Overview of AP Exam

• In Section I, students are given one hour to answer approximately 55 multiple-choice questions.

• The multiple-choice questions test how well students are able to analyze the rhetoric of prose passages.

• In Section II, following a fifteen-minute reading period, students must answer three free-response questions within two hours

• Through the free-response questions students demonstrate their composition skills by writing essays in response to a variety of tasks that call for rhetorical analysis, synthesis of information sources, and argument.

Free Response AP Test Section OverviewQuestion #1: Synthesis: This type of essay presents seven passages on the same

subject; one of these documents will likely be a visual one (such as a chart, photograph, or political cartoon). You need to read all the documents carefully and then using at least 3 sources, synthesize the various authors points, while intelligently discussing their validity. Therefore, this essay is like the argument essay; it just asks you to incorporate more sources. Your purpose is to present an intelligent and thoughtful discussion and point of view on the subject. ***Remember to monitor your time with the reading of the passages, adopt a tentative position or read through the material to help postulate a stance based on your familiarity with the issue. Underline quotations as you read to more quickly infuse them later when beginning your essay.

Question #2: Rhetorical Analysis: This essay presents a passage and asks you to analyze the rhetorical and literary strategies the author uses to create effect or meaning. Accurately identify the devices the author uses and evaluate how these devices create meaning. Be sure that you understand the effect and author’s meaning before you begin. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas. Refer to the passage liberally, incorporating quotations into your own ideas. **Remember the Arch Method as a means of organizing your ideas and adhering to the prompt.

Question #3: Argument: This essay presents one passage; read it carefully and formulate an essay discussing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the prompt. Like the synthesis essay, you will be well served if you intelligently address the counterpoint of the issue and persuasively explore evidence from the passage. **Remember Quality of evidence!! Reading, Observations, Experience….

The AP “Numbers” Side by Side

ESSAY SCORING GUIDE TOTAL EXAM SCORES9 = “enhanced” 8 5 = extremely well qualified8 = effective 4 = well qualified7 = “enhanced” 6 3 = qualified6 = adequate 2 = possibly qualified5 = uneven, superficial 1 = no recommendation4 = inadequate3 = lesser 42 = little success1 = lesser 2

AP Multiple Choice

• Questions are randomly easy, medium, or difficult, and generally move chronologically through the passage

• Guessing: There is not penalty for guessing, but always narrow your choices before guessing

• Level of Difficulty: The level of difficulty in AP MC often comes not from the type of question, but rather the difficulty of the text

AP Multiple Choice

• Performance on the free-response section of the exam counts for 55% of the total score

• Performance on the multiple-choice section counts for 45%

• AP exam tests students intellectual stamina and endurance

Multiple Choice Hints: • Read actively—get that pencil moving. • Right answers are worth one point. Both wrong answers

and blanks are worth zero points. • Number of Passages: usually 4 but sometimes 5.

Students must figure out how much time to spend on each.

Bracketing the Passage1. Go directly to the first question. Glance at the

question to see if it refers you to particular lines. If so, put a bracket and the question number to the right or left of the lines. Make your bracket a little larger than the lines mentioned. Do not read the answer choices at this time.

2. Continue bracketing the passage in this manner. The task should not take more than 60 seconds.

3. Begin reading the passage at the top. When you get to the bottom of the first bracket, stop and answer the question. As you eliminate wrong choices and narrow toward the right answer, scrutinize each choice by trying to find fault with it. Don’t let what sounds possible but was never mentioned in the passage trick you. Look back and forth between the lines you marked in the passage and the answer choices to see what is actually there.

Bracketing the Passage

Bracketing the PassageMark your test paper to keep your focus: Put a line through an individual word

that invalidates the choice. Put a dot to the side of any answer that

you cannot find fault with Put an X next to any answer that is

patently wrong.

Bracketing the Passage4. Once you evaluated each choice, you have probably

narrowed to two possible right answers. Now look at the lines you bracketed. Pick the one for which you find confirmation in the passage. You will know you have selected the right choice when you can find evidence in the passage to back it up. Though you are sometimes working with implied rather than stated meaning, there will always be some sort of evidence supporting the correct choice.

AP Exam: Free Response Questions

Question 1-3What are we supposed to

write about?????

Language and Composition AP Exam

• AP Exam, including Multiple Choice excerpts and Free Response excerpts is entirely made up of Non-Fiction texts.

Free Response Scoring Guide

• 9 “enhanced” 8• 8 effective• 7 “enhanced” 6• 6 adequate• 5 uneven, superficial,

etc.• 4 inadequate• 3 lesser 4• 2 little success• 1 lesser 2

Exam Scores

• 5 = extremely well qualified• 4 = well qualified• 3 = qualified• 2 = possibly qualified• 1 = no recommendation

AP Exam: Free Response Questions

Question #1Synthesis

Question #1 (Synthesis)• Read the sample prompt that you have

on your desk and answer the following questions in your journal:

1.What is the locavore movement?2.What is the prompt asking you to write

about regarding the locavore movement?

3.What is the minimum amount of sources you are being asked to use for an essay like this?

Free Response AP Test Section OverviewQuestion #1: Synthesis: This type of essay presents seven passages on the same

subject; one of these documents will likely be a visual one (such as a chart, photograph, or political cartoon). You need to read all the documents carefully and then using at least 3 sources, synthesize the various authors points, while intelligently discussing their validity. Therefore, this essay is like the argument essay; it just asks you to incorporate more sources. Your purpose is to present an intelligent and thoughtful discussion and point of view on the subject. ***Remember to monitor your time with the reading of the passages, adopt a tentative position or read through the material to help postulate a stance based on your familiarity with the issue. Underline quotations as you read to more quickly infuse them later when beginning your essay.

Question #2: Rhetorical Analysis: This essay presents a passage and asks you to analyze the rhetorical and literary strategies the author uses to create effect or meaning. Accurately identify the devices the author uses and evaluate how these devices create meaning. Be sure that you understand the effect and author’s meaning before you begin. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas. Refer to the passage liberally, incorporating quotations into your own ideas. **Remember the Arch Method as a means of organizing your ideas and adhering to the prompt.

Question #3: Argument: This essay presents one passage; read it carefully and formulate an essay discussing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the prompt. Like the synthesis essay, you will be well served if you intelligently address the counterpoint of the issue and persuasively explore evidence from the passage. **Remember Quality of evidence!! Reading, Observations, Experience….

Free Response AP Test Section Overview

Question #1: Synthesis: This type of essay presents seven passages on the same subject; one of these documents will likely be a visual one (such as a chart, photograph, or political cartoon). You need to read all the documents carefully and then using at least 3 sources, synthesize the various authors points, while intelligently discussing their validity. Therefore, this essay is similar to the argument essay; it just asks you to integrate specific sources. Your purpose is to present an intelligent and thoughtful discussion and point of view on the subject. ***Monitor your time with the reading of the passages. Underline quotations as you read to more quickly infuse them later when beginning your essay.

Question #1 (Synthesis)• Method #1 If you are already

familiar with the subject of the prompt, you might begin this way:–Adopt a tentative position–Read to verify/modify position–Write

Question #1 (Synthesis)

• Method #2 –Read the sources to explore (key issues)–Adopt/develop a position–Write

Question #1 (Synthesis)AP Synthesis Citations:Direct Citation:– When Rostein reports that school

administrator think “electronic materials will get student more engaged,” he does not seem to question whether or not these administrators are, in fact, correct (Source A).

– Use names and SourceParaphrase or reference to a source:– As Delany reminds us, technologies can

provide teachers with new ways to interact with their pupils (Source B).

• You have to use 3 sources or more.• If you only use 2 sources your scoring ceiling

is capped at a score of a 4.

Rules for incorporating numbers

1. Write out numbers one through nine, use numerals for 10 and above.

2. Write out a number if it is the first word in a sentence.

3. Do not use the % sign. Write out the word percent.

Question #1 (Synthesis)

• Read the source information in the box…notice dates to add to analysis of argument.

Locavore Movement Synthesis Sources

Read your source within your group, then discuss and answer the following questions in your journal:

1.What position does your source seem to lend itself as support of?

2.What quotes/information/images could you use to support that position based off of your source? Would you paraphrase or use direct quotes? Discuss and write down.

3.Be ready to share your source info with the class!

Locavore Movement Synthesis Sources

Source A:

AP Exam: Free Response Questions

Question #2Prose

Analysis

Question #2 (Prose Analysis)

• Free Response Questions account for 55% of your total AP score

• Q2: The Prose Analysis Question is considered to be the hardest of the three free response essay’s.

• You will be given a prose passage and asked (in various ways) to analyze the rhetorical strategies used…this can include tone, diction, syntax, parallelism, antithesis, rhetorical questions, etc.

Prose/Rhetorical Analysis

Question #2: Rhetorical Analysis: This essay presents a passage and asks you to analyze the rhetorical and literary strategies the author uses to create effect or meaning. Accurately identify the devices the author uses and evaluate how these devices create meaning. Be sure that you understand the effect and author’s meaning before you begin. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas. Refer to the passage liberally, incorporating quotations into your own ideas.

AP Exam: Free Response Questions

Question #3Argument

Monty Python's Argument Clinic

Question #3 (Argument)

THE WRITING TASK: – Take a position – Gather evidence – Tell why evidence is relevant

Question #3 (Argument)PROMPT BASICS

• Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your – reading… – observations… – or experience… • Sound familiar?• If using a personal experience as an example make sure it is something universal that many can relate to.

Question #3 (Argument)

GOOD ARGUMENT ESSENTIALS 1.Deals with the opposition

--anticipate the opposing point of view --acknowledge its merits --dispense with its claims --make a “harmless” concession

2.Has Quality Evidence– What is quality evidence??????

Question #3 (Argument)ANY GOOD ARGUMENT• Defends but offers counterpoint

– It is always important to defend your position, but acknowledge the other point of view. This creates a stronger sense of ethos for your paper.

– Any good argument is arguable…reasonable people can come to different conclusions.

• Has college level complexity within the argument: cannot expect good organization and mediocre examples to lead to a stellar score.

• Has quality evidence• Good argument papers shows some concession:

America is somewhat like this in this way and not like this in this way. Use evidence more specifically and more cogently.

• Lower Half papers: RaRa…end of paper…America is so great in this respect.

Question #3 (Argument)“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” --Horace

Consider this quotation about adversity from the Roman poet Horace. Then write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies Horace’s assertion about the role that adversity (financial or political hardship, dander, misfortune, etc.) plays in developing a person’s character. Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your reading, observation, or experience.

The Glass CastleEnder’s GameTKAM

Question #3 (Argument)Thesis Statements:Adversity positively affects a person’s character

because it allows one to learn to deal with what he or she cannot control while also gaining a sense of empathy and humanity.

Question #3 (Argument)Readings:Hester1984 WinstonGame of Thrones

Observations:Joan of Arc historical Andrew CarnegieExperience: